One more method: Highlight the book entries, right click on them, select 'Remove books', then 'Remove files of a specific format from selected books..'' and then select the format(s) you wish to delete.

I'm new to calibre came across this thread during a search for "remove." I found this last suggestion by GeorgeH didn't work for me. That is, after converting a book from epub to mobi and then sending the latter to my Kindle, I wanted to remove the epub version from my Win 7 ebooks folder and get rid of the listing in Calibre's interface. I haven't figured out the latter yet - any ideas? - but after selecting Remove and choosing the epub format version, the file is still in the Windows folder. What am I missing (on both scores)? Thanks,

I wanted to remove the epub version from my Win 7 ebooks folder and get rid of the listing in Calibre's interface. I haven't figured out the latter yet - any ideas? - but after selecting Remove and choosing the epub format version, the file is still in the Windows folder. What am I missing (on both scores)? Thanks,

Following GeorgeH's advice will remove the ePub from calibre's library and calibre's interface. If your Win 7 ebooks folder is not calibre's library folder then you have to use windows to delete books in that folder. calibre will only delete files in its own library folder.

What I keep looking for and wish was there is being able to delete the entry from the UI without touching the files themselves. I'm not clear why the two necessarily have to be connected. The only way to do so that I've figured out is to delete the file from the UI and then restore it from Windows Trash.

What I keep looking for and wish was there is being able to delete the entry from the UI without touching the files themselves. I'm not clear why the two necessarily have to be connected. The only way to do so that I've figured out is to delete the file from the UI and then restore it from Windows Trash.

there are at least 2 ways to delete a single format from the UI
1 is select any format inside the metadata editor, and click the recycle icon/tap 'Delete'

Or right click the title's (line) in the main GUI, and select One of the ALTERNATE choices in the Remove Books menu

With regards to what shows in the Library view (UI), what I'm trying to work around is having endless list showing in the UI. I don't really need to delete any formats, just what shows (though the epub delete I tried didn't delete the file from Windows). The way I see it, as long as the right format file is in Windows, Add books allows me to bring anything back into the Library UI that I need to work with, such as for collections in Kindle.

With regards to what shows in the Library view (UI), what I'm trying to work around is having endless list showing in the UI. I don't really need to delete any formats, just what shows (though the epub delete I tried didn't delete the file from Windows). The way I see it, as long as the right format file is in Windows, Add books allows me to bring anything back into the Library UI that I need to work with, such as for collections in Kindle.

Make a Filter:
formats:true
All that will show when the filter is in effect is entries WITH actual books (any format) inside Calibre

And Remove Books Deletes Only books INSIDE Calibres Library (and that works if the file system user rights have not been messed with)

With regards to what shows in the Library view (UI), what I'm trying to work around is having endless list showing in the UI. I don't really need to delete any formats, just what shows (though the epub delete I tried didn't delete the file from Windows). The way I see it, as long as the right format file is in Windows, Add books allows me to bring anything back into the Library UI that I need to work with, such as for collections in Kindle.

This makes me think that you want to put the book into calibre only long enough to convert it to the desired format. After that, you want to manually manage your library without using calibre. Is that right?

Yes, that's been my idea so far, since it's so easy to convert and I'm dealing with different kinds of files from a variety of sources. I mean no offense to calibre's developer(s); I'm just more focused on using what's on my Kindle and adjusting that as need be than developing a calibre library or learning its command line structure, which for me will rarely be worth the return (there's always the public library and I like reading and listening to books).

Yes, that's been my idea so far, since it's so easy to convert and I'm dealing with different kinds of files from a variety of sources. I mean no offense to calibre's developer(s); I'm just more focused on using what's on my Kindle and adjusting that as need be than developing a calibre library or learning its command line structure, which for me will rarely be worth the return (there's always the public library and I like reading and listening to books).

Oh goody, I was right for once

If that is how you want to handle things, then that's fine. I personally think that using calibre is easier in the long term than any alternatives I have seen.

For what you want to do, after the conversion, do a "Save to disk". This will copy the new ebook to wherever you want it. There are a few choices on the menu and some preferences about exactly what to save (cover as a separate file, updating the metadata during the save), so have a play to get exactly what you want. Once you have done the save, you can delete the book from the calibre library. This will remove all evidence of the book and formats from within calibre.